A company that began as an electrical design organisation has now evolved into a comprehensive industrial electrical and automation solutions provider, with ambitious plans for continued expansion.
NESMA member, EireTech, first expanded by developing turnkey solutions, and Australian manufacturing capabilities in response to customer demand, and constraints on overseas supply.
“We wanted to manufacture switchboards and fabricate metal here in Australia so that we could control the timing and deliver better quality to our customers,” says David O’Gorman, Managing Director, EireTech, which operates out of its head office in Victoria and a switchboard manufacturing site in Sydney.
“We became a supplier of VeCab modular switchboard systems, which allowed us to handle our own metalwork and manufacturing locally, so it was a natural fit for us,” he added.
EireTech focuses solely on industrial customers, in demanding industries such as power generation, energy, data centres, food and beverage, solar farms, and critical infrastructure.
“We made the decision not to enter commercial or residential markets, where competition is often driven solely by price. With industrial markets, our customers value safety, quality, and reliability – values that define our products and services,” says David.
Keeping up with industry Standards
“Our customers rely on us to stay ahead of the latest safety regulations and Standards compliance, which can be overwhelming,” says David.
“This is why we joined NESMA – they have extensive resources that are clearly explained, their experts have an in-depth understanding of the Standards and changes. They regularly host events to share knowledge amongst the industry,” he adds.
One of the most significant regulatory changes in recent years has been the introduction of the new AS/NZS 61439 switchboard standard, which clarifies responsibilities in specification, testing, design, and build, between the user and the assembly manufacturer.
“The new Standard is a positive step for the industry, but many contractors still don’t fully grasp its importance. NESMA’s role in getting the word out is vital, because at the end of the day we can’t compromise on safety,” says David.
Rapid Replacement
EireTech has built a strong reputation in the industry for its rapid switchboard replacement service, typically when a switchboard reaches the end of its design life.
“Many of these old switchboards are still keeping critical machinery or infrastructure operating, meaning customer can’t afford prolonged downtime during replacement. We’ve had customers come to us with quotes for a six to eight week project timeframe that would cost them significant money in downtime. EireTech has been able to complete these projects in as little as seven days,” says David.
“Not only does the customer get a modern switchboard that’s safe, reliable, and compliant, but they don’t have to take everything offline for huge swathes of time. It’s a speciality of ours that we’re proud of,” he says.
Further expansion
After expanding from Victoria into NSW, EireTech is now looking to establish a Queensland office, to keep up with growing demand, particularly from the burgeoning solar farm industry in Queensland.
“We are going to need bigger capacity in the near future. Data centres need large power loads, and renewables need custom-designed switchboards that include features designed for that specific task. We have experience in these industries, so we are looking to set ourselves up for the years ahead,” says David.
